Romney promises energy independence by 2021

KASIE HUNTAssociated Press Published: August 14, 2012 1:40 PM

BEALLSVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has promised voters in coal-rich eastern Ohio that America won't have to buy oil from Venezuela or the Middle East by the time his second term ends in 2021.

Romney stopped Tuesday outside a coal mine in Beallsville, where he said the U.S. would be independent from energy sources outside North America if he were elected in November and served two, four-year terms.

Introducing Romney was Josh Mandel, who is running against Democratic Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown. Mandel accused Democrats of trying to stand in the way of using all energy sources.

Mandel says that would happen only, in his words, "over our dead bodies."